‘North’s position on resource control’ unacceptable’

Mr. Tony Ile was the Chairman of the Bayelsa State chapter of Save Nigeria Group (SNG) that fought against the last administration of Mr. Timipre Sylva. He now serves in the administration of Governor Seriake Dickson as a Senior Special Assistant on Civil Society. He speaks to MIKE ODIEGWU on his boss’ attitude to money and other issues.

How would you rate the National Conference?

We have to first and foremost give thanks to Mr. President for initiating such idea. We believe that Nigeria, as a whole is faulty when it comes to even the constitution. Many people have said it is not the people’s constitution. We also believe that if it were the people’s constitution, many issues would have been settled. We can see the skewed inequitable structural organogram of this country; where you have 36 states and the federal capital residing in the north; you also have about 774 local government areas with 419 local governments belonging to the north and 355 local governments in the south. We have a National Assembly that is dominated by a particular region. So, whatever bill that comes will be at the mercy of those areas.

We need balance equation. We, also talk about resource control. The region that is producing the oil has been short-changed for quite sometime and it also need a fair share of its revenue. Let us also look at the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) that has been consistently ignored for a long time. This is one of the bills that will definitely reach out to these communities that are producing the oil because they have been degraded by the activities of these oil companies. So, this conference should ensure that all regions go at a stable pace for peace to reign. I believe that at the end of the conference, Nigerians will smile and the President will be praised for this concept.

How would you describe the stance of the North against resource control?

It is very ridiculous and unacceptable. It is like they have a mindset to distort what is due to some regions. They are calling for a conflict, which is not the best for this country. Our northern brothers should know that oil is in the south for now but tomorrow they may also have oil. So, whatever that is due for the South should be given to the South.

You were in the trenches before the advent of the current administration. You criticised the former administration and now you are a member of the current restoration government. Are things better?

It has been wonderful. His Excellence Governor Seriake Dickson can be described as a wizard when it comes to development. Within this short period, we have seen tremendous and unbelievable development. Prior to this period, a lot of people felt that the terrain was difficult. But this man has come to change all those perceptions. Today, we can see the first flyover, bridges that are being built within a period of three to four months. We have seen many road projects. Most of the roads are dual carriage ways. We believe that before the end of his first tenure, Bayelsa will really be turned to the Dubai of Africa which the governor has been talking about. We owe him support. The natives and and non-natives should rally round him because, before now, Bayelsa was not like this.

How have the governor’s policies been tailored to empower the youth?

There are programmes that His Excellency has mapped out for the youth. The Governor is a product of the youth. He has been a member of the IYC which is a large organisation of Izon youths when it comes to the agitation of the rights of the Ijaw people. He is in touch with the youth. He understands the problems of the youth of Bayelsa State and generally Nigerian youth problems. And since he also understands that unemployment has been the cause of many of these restiveness, he has also set up a Centre for Youth Development which is headed by Boyloaf. That centre is being saddled with the responsibility of training the youth. In the aspect of security, you witnessed when the ex-cultists renounced their cultism to identify with the governor’s empowerment programme.

This has made the state to be peaceful. No wonder, the state has been described as the most peaceful state in the country. Prior to ths period, it was not like that. It was as a result of programmes that have been put in place to ensure that youths are carried along. Also recently, the Bayelsa State volunteer issue came up. It absorbed over 1, 000 youths for security services and other issues. This is just the beginning. The number will keep on increasing. But you know that the government cannot employ all the youth and that is why the governor is creating government conducive to investors to come in.

Your governor has been described as a stingy man. What is your take?

I don’t subscribe to that opinion. He is simply prudent and resilient. That is why many projects are being undertaken. A stingy person is someone who doesn’t want to spend money at all. But if you go round the state, you will see aesthetic buildings springing up. For instance, go to the newly completed Traditional Rulers’ Council Complex.

Such beautiful places were before built by individuals. People stole money from the government to build such houses. But today, a governor is building such aesthetic buildings for the state. He needs commendations. There are many other projects going on in different parts of the state. So, such person cannot be described as a stingy person. He is just being prudent because he believes that you have to save for the rainy day. You can also see the dwindling revenue that is coming in from the Federation Account. If he hadn’t been prudent, it would have affected the state to the extent that we wouldn’t have been able to pay salaries. But for the fact that he has been prudent, he has been consistently paying salaries. There are some states that are not able to pay salary of workers. Without his prudence, we wouldn’t have achieved the flyover and other projects such as the Ogobiri Bridge, the road leading to Ayama and going to Oporoma. Recently, the Deputy Governor drove down to Nembe which is first in history in this part of the region.

To build such infrastructure in a state that is 96 per cent water is not easy. It requires huge amount of money. We were all there when the governor presented a cheque of N2 billion to the company that is handling the Nembe Road. It is not easy. We had an administration that was here for five years but could not do a road to even his community. But this is somebody that just came on board because he has passion for the state. He is Hungry for development and he doesn’t want to believe that we have a terrain that cannot be developed.